December 16, 2009 (New Orleans, LA) . . . For each of the three final days of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, Advocates for Environmental Human Rights ("AEHR") based in New Orleans is running a full page newspaper advertisement that focuses on the trauma of Hurricane Katrina and 10 steps that President Obama can take to protect the Gulf Region and other communities vulnerable to climate change. The 10 Steps for Climate Action were developed by AEHR and a coalition of diverse organizations based in the Gulf Region.

"We want to bring attention to the human suffering already taking place from disastrous weather events in the Gulf Region of the United States," said Nathalie Walker, Co-Director and Attorney with AEHR. "The Gulf Region needs a strong climate change treaty that can move our government, which has done a poor job regarding coastal erosion, flood protection and disaster response, as well as pollution from carbon-intensive industries," she said.

For the last three days of the international climate conference, President Obama and leaders of over 100 nations will travel to Copenhagen to reach agreement on a climate change treaty. "An effective climate change treaty should function like a global insurance policy that curbs atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to 350 parts per million and prioritizes protections for communities in the U.S. and around the world that are in the cross-hairs of climate change effects," said Michele Roberts, Campaign & Policy Director with AEHR, who is in Copenhagen for the treaty negotiation session. "If we compel our leaders to do what it takes to protect our human right to live in a healthy environment, we can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change," added Roberts.

The advertisement will appear December 16 through 18 (the last three days of the UN climate conference) in the COP 15 Post, a special daily newspaper published during the climate treaty negotiations by the only English language newspaper in Copenhagen, The Copenhagen Post.